Over the years humans have devised many, many ways to ingest marijuana. Some people like to smoke it. Others like to eat it by infusing it into food. Still others make a highly-concentrated paste-like substance that is so potent that a patient need ingest only a minuscule amount of it in order to medicate. But one of the easiest, safest and healthiest ways to consume medical marijuana is by infusing it into coconut oil. You are NOT gonna blow your house up making this!

The many health benefits of coconut oil

One of the fastest-growing trends among the “healthy eating” crowd nowadays is coconut oil, and for good reason. The health benefits of coconut oil are many, and include hair care, skin care, stress relief, cholesterol level maintenance, weight loss, boosted immune system, proper digestion and regulated metabolism. Coconut oil can also provide relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, and cancer, while helping to improve dental quality and bone strength. The benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and their respective properties, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial and soothing qualities.

Methods of infusing coconut oil with marijuana

Though there are several different ways to infuse marijuana into coconut oil, the end result — when done properly — is cannabinoid-packed medicine that can be incorporated into just about any type of food, swallowed in easy-to-make capsules, stirred into a warm beverage (mmmm chai tea) or applied topically, on the skin. It is this versatility that makes marijuana-infused coconut oil so popular.

There are two methods that we will focus on for infusing coconut oil with marijuana: In a crock pot (or a slow cooker), which is how the majority of people will do it, and in a device designed specifically for creating infused oils called the Magical Butter Machine. The crock pot method can be done by anyone, but tends to be more time consuming than a Magical Butter, which does almost everything automatically and beeps loudly at you when your attention is needed. On the downside the MBM is on the pricey side and, sadly, out of the budget of many patients.

Decarboxylation

Before infusing your oil you will probably want to decarboxylate your medical marijuana by essentially roasting it in the oven at a very low temperature. Decarboxylation is a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide (CO2), and converts the non-psychoactive THC-A into THC, which is the main chemical in marijuana that produces a “high”. If your goal, however, is to avoid as much of the euphoria that typically comes with ingesting marijuana as possible then feel free to skip this step.

Personally, I do NOT decarboxylate as I feel the long cooking process does that for me automatically without losing any volatile terpenes in the oven. You can see tiny bubbles on the surface of the oil while cooking.... that is Carbon dioxide - the product of decarboxylation..... once you see the bubbles stop forming, the decarboxylation is done.

If you are interested in learning more about the science behind decarboxylation, Marijuana Growers Headquarters has a fantastic article that explains the process in more depth, as well as a handy chart that shows the temperature at which various cannabinoids and flavinoids begin to boil off. http://marijuanagrowershq.com/decarboxy ... -into-thc/

How much marijuana to use

The question as to how much, what strain and what form (trim or bud) to use will be a personal preference. Those with higher tolerances to marijuana or very high pain levels may prefer to use a strong sativa, while patients seeking sedative and sleep-inducing effects might opt for an indica or hybrid strain. If you are a grower or otherwise have access to trim material you can use that as well.

For the recipes below we recommend using marijuana flower, or a combination of flower and trim. You can also use just trim and leave out the bud, but you will need to use more of it if you want to achieve the same potency that you would with a flower infusion.

I use mainly good quality trim and popcorn and I go for a 1:1 of weed and oil...... basically I cram as much in as I can!

A word about Lecithin

Lecithin is a yellow-brown colored fatty substance found in all living things (it’s a gooey substance that makes up about a third of your brain). Lecithin contains choline, which is used throughout your entire body as a major ingredient in each and every cell membrane. Besides the fact that your brain absolutely loves this stuff, lecithin provides other benefits when it is included in marijuana infused oils.

First, lecithin gets more cannabinoids into your brain and other cells and it gets them there faster since, you know, your brain is made of the stuff. Second, lecithin increases the effectiveness of the cannabinoids as well as the intensity of the effect. Also, lecithin acts as an emulsifier in the infusion process, helping more cannabinoids to bond with the oil molecules.

Sunflower lecithin is now widely-regarded as being a better alternative to traditional soy-based lecithin. You can probably find sunflower lecithin in your local health foods store, and you may find it in liquid form, granule form or both, either of which is fine. If you can’t find sunflower lecithin locally it’s easy to order online.

Method

Combine a ratio of 1 cup of organic coconut oil with 1 tbsp (15ml) sunflower lecithin (liquid or granules) in crock pot set on low or 'keep warm' (80°C or 175°F is ideal). I use a Litre of Oil each time, which is 4.2 cups, so I use 4.2 tbsp (63ml) Lecithin.

Add the weed and mash it all up. I use the cooking thermometer to do this, but you can use a wooden spoon. An electric hand blender would be better, as that would be similar to what goes on inside the Magical Butter machine.

see the CO2 bubbles near the thermometer.....

Cover and stir every 30-45 minutes.Simmer for a few hours (I go overnight). Turn off and let cool a little bit.Once cool, strain through cheesecloth or baby muslin cloths (available in any supermarket).

It’s easiest if you use small wire strainer with a handle to catch the bulk of your material. Holding this over a bowl that has had several layers of cheesecloth secured over it with rubber bands works really well. I just use a muslin cloth over a metal collander, over a big pyrex glass bowl.

Twist your cheesecloth, which should now have gross organic material all over it, into a ball. Now squeeeeeeze that medicine out into the bowl until you’ve got every drop or your hand gets tired. Some people even use a vice to get that last bit!

I quite like the feeling of hot cannabis oil all over my hands, but some sites report getting quite a medicinal dose from that, so be careful!

Once strained, you can pour the warm oil back into its original jar

get it to room temp and then put it in the fridge for storage. I like to shake it around every few mins to keep the mix nice and even as it thickens and eventually hardens.

How to consume your newly-infused cannabis oil

Since coconut oil can so easily replace butter, oil and other fats that are frequently called for in recipes it can be included in many different types of dishes. Not just for brownies anymore, cannabis-infused coconut oil is great in dressings, sauces, pasta dishes and much more. Medicated spaghetti bolognaise anyone?

I routinely put a tablespoon in my Chai in the morning or in my porridge. Wifey puts it in her coffee. I have occasionally eaten just a raw spoonful, it tastes great! Because it is refined, it doesn't taste of coconut at all.

Another great way to consume coconut oil that has been infused with your favorite bud is by filling gelatin capsules and taking them on a regular basis. This is by far one of the best ways to regiment your medical marijuana intake, as it allows you to create and follow your own consistent recipe and take consistent doses. In other words, if you need to be able to schedule your medication then this may be the best option for you.

If you choose to use gelatin capsules then you can probably find everything you need in your local health foods store. You will need a supply of empty capsules (these size “00” work very well) and an inexpensive capsule filling machine, unless you want to fill the capsules one at a time. You will also need a plastic syringe, preferably one with a curved tip like this if you are using a filling machine. Capsules can be stored in a dark, dry place (like in a bottle in your medicine cabinet) for around 30 days. If you are making more than a 30 day supply it’s best to store the extra oil in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and make up a new supply of capsules when your medicine cabinet supply gets low.

What to expect

Everyone’s tolerance to cannabis is different, and some people’s experience changes based on how their body metabolizes the cannabinoids they have ingested. In most cases, infusing coconut oil with marijuana tends to produce effects that come on much slower than smoking (takes about 30-40 mins for me), but last longer and tend to be more mellow-inducing. Many patients find that coconut oil is a great way to treat chronic conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, glaucoma and depression. Others use infused coconut oil in place of over the counter or prescription sleep medication because of its gradual onset, prolonged effect and ability to function normally the next morning.

I think it's great when you need to get stoned without smelling of joint smoke, like when the in laws are over, or if we are away for a weekend break etc. It's great going to watch a film or go to a parents evening.... just watch out for those bloodshot eyes!

Whatever your reason for using medical marijuana, there is a good chance that supplementing that intake with the many wonderful health benefits of coconut oil can assist in promoting healing and better overall health.

Teetee bro when you going put up hash making.i want know how to make, i try coconut oil bur i like ledbuds oil better because i only need use little to get so stone.i love hash in pipe but in London i cant get good hash.